Begonia Festival a blaze of color

Puff the Magic Dragon by Casa Finkel was named first place for the best begonia float Sunday in the Capitola Begonia Festival's Nautical Parade. (Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian)

CAPITOLA — Thousands of people attended the 61st annual Capitola Begonia Festival over the Labor Day weekend. The four-day event peaked Sunday with the Nautical Parade whose theme was “Capitola Magic.”

Six begonia-coated floats bobbed along Soquel Creek as spectators lined the shore, the Stockton Bridge, the rail trestle and Capitola Beach under warm and sunny skies.

“It’s one thing to see the parade on TV but to see it in person is so exciting,” said Margaret Rosas of Santa Cruz. “This is my first time here in 13 years. I figured I might as well come down and see it. It’s really incredible — just beautiful.”

The floats are judged on a number of levels including originality, effective use of begonia blooms, theme development, creative “wow factor,” showmanship.

This year the first place winner was Puff the Magic Dragon by Casa Finkel. Aladdin's Lamp/ Genie in a Bottle by the Riverview Rascals came in second. The Magic School Bus by Friends of the Windmill House placed third and A Magical Place by Mid County Senior Center came in fourth.